Review: The Hidden Letters by Purba Chakraborty

What's there to be expressed in love it has to be and what's there to be hidden stays buried forever. Man is not known to be the best when it comes to burying deep dark secrets but few things do manage to avoid the public glare. Author Purba Chakraborty in her latest book " The Hidden Letters" tries to touch lives through her characters and her story. So how much she succeeds in pulling off the book? Let's find out. 

She is a successful author, a loving wife and the worlds best mom. Her doctor husband dotes on her, her teenage daughter idolizes her and her readers yearn for her writing. Shouldn't all that respect and love make her happy?
Yet, she is devoid of inner peace. In the wee hours of the night, her slumber is disturbed by horrifying nightmares. All her harmony is abducted and lost amidst the bunch of hidden letters kept in her cupboard. Those letters were written long back by her cousin, presently a patient at a mental asylum in Kolkata.
Haunted by her inner demons and tired by the long-time secrecy, she decides to put end to her misery by surrendering to her husband and daughter, The hidden letters. Will she lose her husbands love and daughters respect? Can she forgive herself for her own selfishness which rendered her cousins fate malignant?

First look at the title and the cover and one gets mesmerized for sure. The pain in the eyes of the lady on the cover says it all. The title mysterious but directs the emotions towards sadness and yet allows the readers to maintain calm. The blurb talks about few people and how their lives are entwined to each other. It's a blurb which gives space to the author to vent out the exact emotions which she wants the readers to feel. A well constituted blurb for the book. 

The story revolves around three people namely Nishith, Anaya and Varsha. All of three of them lived in a happy world until the bubble bursts and it oozes pain for some while happiness for the others. Life takes a drastic turn for all three of them and they are headed for a showdown in the near future but someone wants it to turn around the other way. So will life turn out to be bitter for the three of them? What has emotions to offer them in their respective state of affairs? Will they be able to keep everything in check? That's what the story is all about. 

When the closet of the past opens a lot of secrets tumble out. It might be positive or negative but it teaches people to live with it. Sometimes you need to live for the other that is what the book teaches you all the time. The involvement of three people in each others lives is not an eyewash as it sheds light on understanding, solidarity, loyalty, the bond of friendship and above all love and care for each other. The book breaks the barriers and outstretches its hands in the directions of hope and despair at the same time. There is a sense of joy along with copious amount of sorrow which has been given enough space in entire story. The book manages to hold the definition of love true in disbeliever's eyes and show the difference between what's true and what's a myth in love with great command. The improvisation on certain elements of love throughout the book is also noteworthy and praiseworthy. 

The downside of the book is couple of mistakes in describing events which if one is in a flow vanishes without a trace. Apart from that there's no other mistake in the book. 

All in all the story binds the readers and characters together. If it talks love, it talks in detail, if sorrow is there it delves deep and if it;s about hope and helplessness it says it all with it's immaculate descriptions. A story which pulls out all stops to let the readers sink in the travesties of life. It covers the dark as well as the sun shine and opens and ends with great resolute. A story capable of touching lives and bring smile on your face and tears in your eyes. All credits to be given to the authors to carve a sensitive piece of work with utmost delicacy. The story exploits love and hate to the hilt which adds to its beauty. A befitting piece of fiction. 

RATINGS: 

4 OUT OF 5